New oral splint that can reduce Tourette syndrome tics

Researchers at Osaka University have developed a removable dental appliance that can reduce tics in both children and adults with Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterised by vocal and motor tics, which can contribute to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

The ability to reduce tics could positively impact the everyday lives of individuals with Tourette syndrome.

While there is no cure for Tourette syndrome, there are several available options to treat severe tics.

These include behavioural, pharmacological and more intrusive surgical interventions, however, the efficacy of these treatments can vary and patients still frequently suffer from physical, mental, and social disabilities.

As an alternative treatment option, researchers at Osaka University have developed a custom-made oral splint.

The oral splint is applied to the molars to increase the occlusal vertical dimension, which essentially means that the alignment of the nose, lips, and chin is altered.

The study was recently published in Movement Disorders.

Immediate improvement

‘Biting down on the device immediately improved both motor and vocal tics in 10 of the 14 children and six of the eight adults that participated in the study,’ explained Jumpei Murakami, joint first author of the study.

‘What’s more, these effects were long lasting.

‘Long-term improvements in motor tics after more than 100 days were especially evident in patients who were younger when their tics first started.’

While it isn’t yet clear how the oral splint exerts these effects, the action of biting down could serve as a sensory trick.

Sensory tricks are voluntary manoeuvres that usually involve touching parts of the face and head, and can alleviate involuntary movements.

Sensory tricks have been well documented to temporarily improve dystonia, which is a movement disorder that is, like Tourette syndrome, characterised by uncontrollable tics.